Eldritch and Cantankerous

Sorry. I just wanted to call to your attention Joe Peterson’s brief piece on the use of the wand in magic from the Zoroastrians to the grimoires. It handles such distinctions as the staff versus the wand, the different materials of which they can be made, and the descriptions as provided in several different books of magic.

The piece isn’t a comprehensive study, of course, and wasn’t intended to be. One of my favorites isn’t included. That’s the wand from the Black Pullet, a six-foot-long serpent that is articulated so that it can bend into a circle. The magician places it on the floor around him, thus allowing the tool to double as a protective device. I’d be impressed with the economy so displayed, but the whole device being plated in gold blows that out of the water.

UPDATE: It seems that the WordPress referral links to this page are, well, interesting. Apologies to anyone who came here hoping to find a long, cylindrical object powered by something other than magic.